Novus Inceptio (2015)

Introduction

Novus Inceptio is a survival role-playing game set on a futuristic version of Earth. Although categorized as a survival game, the focus is not on conventional survival challenges. Instead, the game emphasizes an advanced crafting system and building mechanics, offering a calm and strategic gameplay experience. Players can interact with nearly all in-game objects, making every element of the environment functional rather than decorative. The game combines science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic themes, exploring humanity's past and the entities that influenced it over millennia.

Core Gameplay Elements

Unique Survival Perspective

Unlike traditional survival games, Novus Inceptio places survival mechanics in the background. While players must manage basic needs, such as food, warmth, and health, these tasks are designed to enhance immersion rather than create constant tension. Threats such as injury, disease, or death exist, but the emphasis remains on exploration, crafting, and world interaction.

Interactive World

The game world is highly interactive. Players can manipulate the terrain, gather resources from plants, trees, and other environmental objects, and use materials for crafting or building. Every object in the game has practical use, from mushrooms that can be collected for food to trees that provide multiple materials including wood, bark, leaves, and resin.

Dynamic Environment

The environment includes a natural time cycle and weather changes. Players can experience the subtle sounds of wildlife, feel environmental effects like wind, and immerse themselves in an atmosphere that encourages relaxation while staying alert to nearby threats.

Advanced Crafting System

The crafting system in Novus Inceptio is highly complex. Every item requires the individual creation of its components, allowing players to produce unique items influenced by the materials used. For example, crafting with oak or pine wood results in items with different properties. The system also provides simplified crafting options for players who prefer less complexity.

Material Bonuses

The game implements a resource heredity system. Materials carry specific characteristics that affect the final crafted item, enabling the creation of objects with unique attributes. Players must consider the quality and type of materials when crafting to maximize their effectiveness.

Character Development and Aging

Novus Inceptio allows natural character progression based on activity. Attributes improve with use, without requiring predefined choices of race or profession. The aging system replaces traditional leveling, where gaining experience corresponds to growing older and eventually passing on to the next generation. This process provides attribute bonuses and encourages a continuous cycle of skill development.

Building System

The modular building system allows players to design and construct homes, farms, and other structures. Planning precedes material collection, requiring creativity and resource management. Players can also find blueprints or pre-built structures to aid construction.

Farming Mechanics

Players can cultivate crops and exotic plants near their homes to support cooking and crafting. Farming integrates with other survival and crafting systems, providing a sustainable source of materials and food.

Anomalies

The game includes portals to different dimensions and times. These anomalies offer unique rewards, essential crafting recipes, and potential dangers. Exploration of anomalies is a key method for obtaining advanced knowledge and rare resources.

Survival and Exploration

Players begin in a wild environment with minimal equipment and the support of a personal robot companion, A2-A. Survival requires gathering food, preparing for threats, and learning the environment's rules. As players advance, they can explore diverse biomes, including forests, deserts, jungles, and underwater ecosystems, discovering valuable materials and hidden truths about the restored planet.

Background Story

The Dawn of Gods

The galaxy is portrayed as a hostile environment. A group of creators has spent billions of years searching for intelligent life and protecting developing civilizations through discreet DNA manipulation and guidance. Their goal is to prevent extinction while managing the inherent risks of each civilization's growth.

Rebellious Believers

From the earliest human civilizations, the creators influenced humanity’s physical, technological, and psychological evolution. However, humans eventually worshipped war instead of their creators, leading to chaos. After the last divine messenger died, the creators withdrew but continued monitoring through data collection portals.

The End of the World

Approximately two millennia later, nuclear technology caused widespread destruction, leaving only a few survivors. Observing humanity’s irresponsibility, the creators returned to Earth to eliminate the remaining population, ensuring the planet could eventually be restored.

Human 2.0

After radiation levels decreased, the creators reintroduced life, forming Homo Novus clones accompanied by personal robot A2-A units. These robots guide and protect humans, monitor behavior, and assist in learning from past civilizations. Anomalies provide opportunities for temporal exploration to prevent previous mistakes and foster the development of a civilization focused on knowledge and survival.

Creators’ Role

The creators continue to observe the planet through the A2-A units, collecting data and waiting for the optimal moment to interact directly with their new human population. Their guidance aims to prevent past errors and encourage the emergence of a civilization that prioritizes discovery, growth, and responsible evolution.

Novus Inceptio is a unique survival RPG that takes its time to stand out. It is not about constant danger or quick thrills. Instead, it focuses on crafting, building, and exploring a living, breathing world where every object can be used and every action matters. Players who enjoy slow, thoughtful gameplay will find it rewarding.

The game’s depth comes from its complex crafting system, detailed resource mechanics, and freedom in character development. You can shape your character naturally, build a home or farm, and experiment with materials to make items that truly feel yours. The world reacts to your actions, offering exploration and mystery at every turn.

That said, Novus Inceptio is in Early Access and has bugs and rough edges. If you are ready to accept that and enjoy experimenting, it is worth your time. For those seeking a polished, fast-paced survival game, this is not the title. Overall, we recommend it for patient, creative players who enjoy building, crafting, and discovering a world at their own pace.